Magnificent Garden Party
Title: Magnificent Garden Party
Rating: G
Summary: Pre-Curse of the Black Pearl, James and Elizabeth bond over a game of croquet and a mutual dislike of being forced to socialize at the governor's parties.
Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean is the property of Disney.
Though there was little variation between the seasons in Port Royal, after moving to Jamaica Governor Weatherby Swann kept up his tradition of holding a magnificent garden party to welcome spring each year. His wife had lived for the first balmy spring breezes after the dreary, soggy English winters that often kept her confined indoors with respiratory infections. The garden parties had begun on her whim, but after her death Weatherby had been pursuaded to carry on organizing the parties, with a little pleading from Elizabeth.
As a child, Elizabeth Swann had loved the opportunity to run about her father's sprawling estate with her cousins and the children of her parents' friends. Now 16-year-old Elizabeth found the garden parties - along with her father's dinners and balls - unbelievably dull, just another opportunity for Governor Swann to introduce her to potential suitors.
James Norrington strolled into the Swanns' backyard fashionably late the evening of the party after becoming tied up with business at the fort. After awkwardly greeting the governor and several eligible young women who made a point of fluttering their eyelashes at him, James was relieved to spot Elizabeth sitting alone on a wrought iron chair under a palm tree. She was stunning in a new cream and turquoise gown, slumped over dejectedly with a croquet mallet in one hand and a china teacup in the other. James attempted to walk over to her without appearing overeager, pleased at finding Elizabeth without a gaggle of bachelors or giggling young women nearby.
"Good evening, Miss Swann," James said politely, awestruck as always seeing the inquisitive child he'd met on the crossing from England now transformed into a lovely young woman.
"Lieutenant Norrington. How nice to see you," Elizabeth replied dutifully, absentmindedly adjusting the ribbon that kept her hat tied securely to her head. Normally, she seemed genuinely happy to see him; James was perplexed.
"Are you feeling well, Miss Swann?"
Elizabeth sighed, torn between telling the truth and following proper etiquette. "I hate this," she confided in a low voice, looking around to see if her father was within earshot. James had to lean in closer to hear her. "I don't even like these people."
"And yet, you have to pretend to enjoy their company," James said, his dry tone making Elizabeth giggle.
"I never thought anyone else felt the same way," she admitted.
"I can assure you, someone does. Now, may I challenge you to a game of croquet?" James picked up an abandoned mallet that that was leaning against a nearby chair.
"You may." Elizabeth followed James to the first wicket, where ever the gentleman, he allowed her to take the first turn. Elizabeth smiled warmly at him, grateful that he had commandeered her before she died of boredom. For just an instant, James felt weak in the knees.
Elizabeth lined up her ball and struck it with a great deal more force than necessary, sending the ball about eight feet away and nowhere near the wicket. She watched it roll in dismay, but James retrieved the ball placed it at her feet again. "That was just a practice swing."
Elizabeth swung again, this time managing to tap the ball a distance of about two inches. She stamped her foot in frustration and had to try several more times before the ball finally rolled through the wicket. James got his ball through in one smooth stroke and caught up with Elizabeth, who was once again struggling. After one particularly awful attempt to redeem herself, Elizabeth glanced back at James and was shocked to see the normally stoic lieutenant chuckling, his shoulders shaking as he tried to hide his amusement. His green eyes glinted mischeviously.
"Mr. Norrington! Is that any way to treat a lady?" Elizabeth tossed her head indignantly, curls bouncing. "I was merely trying to... allow you a head start." She took another stab at hitting her ball with no success.
James snorted in a most ungentlemanly manner. "No, I don't think so. Do you take me for a fool, Miss Swann?" He abandoned his ball to walk over to Elizabeth’s and neatly hit it through the next set of wickets. “There. I believe you’ve completed that one.”
Elizabeth leaned up against a palm tree, momentarily giving up on croquet. James expected another teasing comment, but her hazel eyes grew serious. “You’re the smartest man I know, actually,” she admitted, smiling wryly. “You realize how ridiculous all of this…” she gestured vaguely around the garden at the various members of Port Royal society, who were engaged in putting on airs and feigning interest in one another. “I know Father enjoys the company, but does he not realize how pretentious all of this is?”
Emboldened by what may have been the first compliment Elizabeth Swann had ever given him, James relaxed and moved closer to her, leaning his mallet up against the palm’s trunk. “Somehow, I seem to remember Governor Swann beginning to throw his parties again at the request of a certain young lady.”
A smile played about Elizabeth’s lips; it was a fact she liked to overlook. “Lieutenant Norrington, I must confess, I never knew you could be…well, fun.” Her fair cheeks flushed as soon as the confession escaped her lips. James, now standing closer to the Governor’s daughter than he usually allowed himself for propriety’s sake, could no longer resist her playful smile and the fact that she had finally let down her guard around him.
“There are many things you do not know about me, Miss Swann.” James gently touched her face and, seeing that the tree Elizabeth was leaning on concealed them from the partygoers, leaned down to kiss her. His lips were painfully close to hers and Elizabeth had closed her eyes in anticipation, her breath tickling his throat, when someone purposefully cleared their throat behind them.
Startled, James and Elizabeth jumped apart and saw Governor Swann raise an eyebrow at them disapprovingly before turning away as if nothing had happened. Elizabeth groaned in frustration. “I swear, he must have eyes in the back of his head! Well, shall we resume our game?”
Croquet was the last thing on James’ mind, but he halfheartedly agreed and followed Elizabeth back onto the lawn. Somehow, he could not feel too discouraged by the disrupted opportunity when he saw the lovely Miss Swann wink coyly at him before turning her attention to the game at hand.
Rating: G
Summary: Pre-Curse of the Black Pearl, James and Elizabeth bond over a game of croquet and a mutual dislike of being forced to socialize at the governor's parties.
Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean is the property of Disney.
Though there was little variation between the seasons in Port Royal, after moving to Jamaica Governor Weatherby Swann kept up his tradition of holding a magnificent garden party to welcome spring each year. His wife had lived for the first balmy spring breezes after the dreary, soggy English winters that often kept her confined indoors with respiratory infections. The garden parties had begun on her whim, but after her death Weatherby had been pursuaded to carry on organizing the parties, with a little pleading from Elizabeth.
As a child, Elizabeth Swann had loved the opportunity to run about her father's sprawling estate with her cousins and the children of her parents' friends. Now 16-year-old Elizabeth found the garden parties - along with her father's dinners and balls - unbelievably dull, just another opportunity for Governor Swann to introduce her to potential suitors.
James Norrington strolled into the Swanns' backyard fashionably late the evening of the party after becoming tied up with business at the fort. After awkwardly greeting the governor and several eligible young women who made a point of fluttering their eyelashes at him, James was relieved to spot Elizabeth sitting alone on a wrought iron chair under a palm tree. She was stunning in a new cream and turquoise gown, slumped over dejectedly with a croquet mallet in one hand and a china teacup in the other. James attempted to walk over to her without appearing overeager, pleased at finding Elizabeth without a gaggle of bachelors or giggling young women nearby.
"Good evening, Miss Swann," James said politely, awestruck as always seeing the inquisitive child he'd met on the crossing from England now transformed into a lovely young woman.
"Lieutenant Norrington. How nice to see you," Elizabeth replied dutifully, absentmindedly adjusting the ribbon that kept her hat tied securely to her head. Normally, she seemed genuinely happy to see him; James was perplexed.
"Are you feeling well, Miss Swann?"
Elizabeth sighed, torn between telling the truth and following proper etiquette. "I hate this," she confided in a low voice, looking around to see if her father was within earshot. James had to lean in closer to hear her. "I don't even like these people."
"And yet, you have to pretend to enjoy their company," James said, his dry tone making Elizabeth giggle.
"I never thought anyone else felt the same way," she admitted.
"I can assure you, someone does. Now, may I challenge you to a game of croquet?" James picked up an abandoned mallet that that was leaning against a nearby chair.
"You may." Elizabeth followed James to the first wicket, where ever the gentleman, he allowed her to take the first turn. Elizabeth smiled warmly at him, grateful that he had commandeered her before she died of boredom. For just an instant, James felt weak in the knees.
Elizabeth lined up her ball and struck it with a great deal more force than necessary, sending the ball about eight feet away and nowhere near the wicket. She watched it roll in dismay, but James retrieved the ball placed it at her feet again. "That was just a practice swing."
Elizabeth swung again, this time managing to tap the ball a distance of about two inches. She stamped her foot in frustration and had to try several more times before the ball finally rolled through the wicket. James got his ball through in one smooth stroke and caught up with Elizabeth, who was once again struggling. After one particularly awful attempt to redeem herself, Elizabeth glanced back at James and was shocked to see the normally stoic lieutenant chuckling, his shoulders shaking as he tried to hide his amusement. His green eyes glinted mischeviously.
"Mr. Norrington! Is that any way to treat a lady?" Elizabeth tossed her head indignantly, curls bouncing. "I was merely trying to... allow you a head start." She took another stab at hitting her ball with no success.
James snorted in a most ungentlemanly manner. "No, I don't think so. Do you take me for a fool, Miss Swann?" He abandoned his ball to walk over to Elizabeth’s and neatly hit it through the next set of wickets. “There. I believe you’ve completed that one.”
Elizabeth leaned up against a palm tree, momentarily giving up on croquet. James expected another teasing comment, but her hazel eyes grew serious. “You’re the smartest man I know, actually,” she admitted, smiling wryly. “You realize how ridiculous all of this…” she gestured vaguely around the garden at the various members of Port Royal society, who were engaged in putting on airs and feigning interest in one another. “I know Father enjoys the company, but does he not realize how pretentious all of this is?”
Emboldened by what may have been the first compliment Elizabeth Swann had ever given him, James relaxed and moved closer to her, leaning his mallet up against the palm’s trunk. “Somehow, I seem to remember Governor Swann beginning to throw his parties again at the request of a certain young lady.”
A smile played about Elizabeth’s lips; it was a fact she liked to overlook. “Lieutenant Norrington, I must confess, I never knew you could be…well, fun.” Her fair cheeks flushed as soon as the confession escaped her lips. James, now standing closer to the Governor’s daughter than he usually allowed himself for propriety’s sake, could no longer resist her playful smile and the fact that she had finally let down her guard around him.
“There are many things you do not know about me, Miss Swann.” James gently touched her face and, seeing that the tree Elizabeth was leaning on concealed them from the partygoers, leaned down to kiss her. His lips were painfully close to hers and Elizabeth had closed her eyes in anticipation, her breath tickling his throat, when someone purposefully cleared their throat behind them.
Startled, James and Elizabeth jumped apart and saw Governor Swann raise an eyebrow at them disapprovingly before turning away as if nothing had happened. Elizabeth groaned in frustration. “I swear, he must have eyes in the back of his head! Well, shall we resume our game?”
Croquet was the last thing on James’ mind, but he halfheartedly agreed and followed Elizabeth back onto the lawn. Somehow, he could not feel too discouraged by the disrupted opportunity when he saw the lovely Miss Swann wink coyly at him before turning her attention to the game at hand.